WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Sunday, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) released the following statement regarding President Joe Biden:
“My prayers are with the President and his family. I’m sure this was not an easy decision for him to make, and I believe he made it with the national interest in mind.
“My job is to represent everyone in Southwest Washington, and most of them do not have confidence in the President’s fitness to serve. They deserve to have their confidence restored.”
Gluesenkamp Perez was one of the first Democrats calling for Biden to step down given her concerns about his health and fitness to do the job.
Biden has endorsed his Vice President Kamala Harris to be his successor as the Democratic Party nominee.
Who do you think should succeed Biden as the Democratic Party nominee?
Camas, WA — This weekend, Leslie Lewallen, candidate for Washington’s Third Congressional District, barnstormed Southwest Washington, meeting hundreds of voters in every corner of the district. Following the tour, Lewallen released the following statement:
“This weekend, we visited more than twenty communities in the Third Congressional District, traveling between every corner of the district and holding meet and greets, visiting local businesses, farmers markets, restaurants, breweries, and festivals. On the trail, I am hearing one consistent message from voters – they are ready for a Conservative leader who they can trust to fight with President Trump and get stuff done in Washington. The Third Congressional District can’t trust Joe Kent, but they can trust me.”
What issues are Lewallen’s top priorities?
I am running for Congress in Washington’s third congressional district to bring sanity back to our crime-ridden streets, our schools, and our economy. When I’m elected, I will focus on securing the border and restoring law and order, putting parents in the driver’s seat of their children’s education, getting our country back on track, and making America affordable again.
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/22154536/Leslie-Lewallen-Tour.jpg7081200lacamashttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pnglacamas2024-07-22 16:12:592024-07-22 16:13:06Congressional Candidate Lewallen Barnstorms State During Weekend Tour
Camas, WA — Third District Congressional candidate and Camas City Councilor, Leslie Lewallen, a Republican, was recently endorsed by The Columbian.
Lewallen answered Lacamas Magazine questions about the endorsement.
1) What are your thoughts about this op-ed?
I am honored to have the endorsement of The Columbian. This is proof that the more people learn about my campaign, the more they support us!
2) The Columbian says your GOP opponent flip flops on his views. Do you agree with that assessment? If so, can you point out some of this flip flops?
Southwest Washington families can’t trust Joe Kent. His views change with the breeze and he is more concerned about getting to Congress for his own personal gain. Don’t forget that he has said he wants to defund the police and supports Medicare for All.
I’m different – I saw a problem in my community and I got to work fixing it on the Camas City Council and will continue that fight in Congress.
3) The Columbian says you’re delivering for Washington. Please elaborate on that.
As a sitting Camas City Councilor, I’ve worked tirelessly to balance the needs of the city with the desires of its citizens. People are worried by rising prices, our wide-open southern border, and the homelessness crisis impacting our communities. On the City Council, I’ve fought for Southwest Washington to stop our out-of-control spending, put more money into families pockets, and stop the fentanyl epidemic destroying our community.
4) Why are you the better poised to face Congresswoman Marie Glusenkamp Perez in the general election?
Marie Glusenkamp Perez is anti-parent, anti-small business, anti-police and pro-Antifa. She even said that no one is worried about our southern border crisis. But people are worried. I heard first-hand at my town hall on Washington’s fentanyl crisis from families that have lost children and loved one’s from drugs crossing our southern border. In November, we have to elect a fighter with a proven track record of success and I know I’m the right woman for the job. I love Southwest Washington and our community deserves better.
Unfortunately, my opponent lost in 2022 and he will lose again in November. History is not on Joe’s side. There has been no federal rematches with a flipped outcome in the past 30 years. Lots of Republicans don’t believe him and don’t trust him. They think he is too extreme and don’t understand his values. I’m the only conservative in this race.
5) What issues are your top priorities?
I am running for Congress in Washington’s third congressional district to bring sanity back to our crime-ridden streets, our schools, and our economy. When I’m elected, I will focus on securing the border and restoring law and order, putting parents in the driver’s seat of their children’s education, getting our country back on track, and making America affordable again.
You can learn more about Lewallen’s campaign at www.leslieforwashington.com
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/16154452/IMG_7953.jpeg8381284lacamashttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pnglacamas2024-07-16 15:54:422024-07-16 15:54:493rd Congressional District Candidate Lewallen Responds to Endorsement
Former president Donald Trump was rushed off the stage at a campaign rally in Butler, PA after shots were heard minutes after the rally began. Trump was having his audience look at a large screen to his right, explaining data, when he put his hand to his right ear and ducked after the first of several pops. Secret Service agents surrounded him and took him off the stage, his face streaked with what appeared to be blood. Trump raised his fist a couple times shouting “fight, fight, fight,” before being taken by Secret Service to a local hospital.
Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger said two people are dead, including the apparent shooter, according to the Associated Press.
The Secret Service said “the former president is safe.” Trump’s campaign said he is being treated.
Many witnesses heard several shots.
This was Trump’s last rally before the Republican National Convention begins in Milwaukee, WI on Monday. There was also speculation Trump was going to name his Vice Presidential pick this evening.
Former President Barack Obama said: “There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy. Although we don’t yet know exactly what happened, we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt, and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics. Michelle and I are wishing him a quick recovery.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) posted on social media that he was sending his “thoughts and prayers” to former president Trump.
“I am thankful for the decisive law enforcement response. America is a democracy. Political violence of any kind is never acceptable,” he tweeted.
Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy said: ”Now is the time for every American who loves our country to step back from the division, renounce all violence, and unite in prayer for President Trump and his family.”
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/13173107/IMG_8656-e1720917130932.jpeg6221179Ernest Geigenmillerhttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pngErnest Geigenmiller2024-07-13 17:37:052024-07-13 17:37:12Two Dead, Including an Apparent Shooter, at Trump Rally in Pennsylvania
Camas, WA — Third Congressional District candidate and Camas City Council member, Leslie Lewallen, a Republican, today released her agenda on solving the region’s drug epidemic.
In her statement, she said “Fentanyl and dangerous drugs have invaded the Evergreen State and have created a dangerous epidemic that is destroying families and killing our kids. In 2023, the DEA removed 4.8 million lethal doses of fentanyl in Washington state and over 1,700 people lost their lives due to overdoses in Washington – a 37% increase. We have to acknowledge that our drug epidemic is a result of our wide-open southern border.”
Lewallen said that fentanyl and dangerous opioids come across the southern border, up the Interstate 5 corridor, and into our communities.
“President Biden and his Democratic cronies like Marie Gluesenkamp Perez are responsible for our border crisis and under their rule, Washington is a border state. They have cut laws to secure our border and support our brave border patrol agents and are standing by as these poisons enter our communities.
“Last week, I met with these parents during a town hall in Camas. I heard the heartbreaking stories of the murders of their children and the devastating effects that fentanyl and other deadly drugs have wrought on their families. I discussed my agenda to close our southern border, give victims the resources they need, and take back Southwestern Washington from the drugs that have infiltrated us”.
Lewallen’s Agenda
Secure our southern border and implement President Trump’s policies including “Remain in Mexico” policy, support our border patrol agents, and build the wall.
Implement a 30-day grace period where insurance companies have to provide care before they can deny it.
Require healthcare centers to be proactive and reach out to those struggling with addiction with resources and ensure that a detox process is complete before being released. Private facilities will take “pro bono” cases to help people – not just the ones with money.
Hold drug dealers accountable with harsher sentencing and work with the District Attorney’s office to ensure prosecution.
To learn more about Lewallen’s campaign, click here.
The competition encourages students to build hands-on experience in computer science through building their own app. Students can use any programming language and platform, and there are no limits on theme or topic.
To be eligible to participate, students must be in middle or high school at the time of submission and reside or attend school in Washington’s 3rd District. Students may register as individuals or as teams of up to four.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for students to apply their skills, build new ones, and develop creative solutions to problems facing our district and world,” said Gluesenkamp Perez.“I can’t wait to see what our talented students in Southwest Washington come up with.”
Winners will be selected by a local panel of judges, and their app will be eligible to be displayed in the U.S. Capitol and featured on House.gov. Winning students will also be invited to a Congressional App Challenge reception in Washington, DC.
Students entering the competition should submit their application by October 24, 2024 at 9 am PST at congressionalappchallenge.us.
EFNEP improves the nutritional health and well-being of families with low-incomes and in rural communities. In 2023, EFNEP educators worked directly with 50,649 adults and 204,222 youth across 76 Land-Grant University Cooperative Extension programs. Of these participants, 400 adults and 2,272 youth were graduates of the EFNEP program in Washington state.
Data shows that EFNEP graduates show significant improvements toward health, wellbeing, nutrition, and food security. In 2023, 99 percent of participants reported improvements in diet quality and 88 percent increased their physical activity levels. EFNEP peer educators are members of the communities they serve and adapt teaching methods to embrace family dynamics and cultural differences.
EFNEP also leads to public savings. Research shows that better health is associated with reduced health care costs, less absenteeism from work and school, and less dependence on emergency food assistance. A pilot study documented $8.70 in health care savings per $1.00 spent on EFNEP in Washington state.
“When kids and families know how to prepare nourishing meals and identify nutritious options at the store, they have healthier and brighter futures,” Gluesenkamp Perez. “By ensuring EFNEP has robust funding, we can equip folks in rural and low-income communities with the tools they need to lead healthy lives.”
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/15093438/DSC7383-3-scaled-e1715791209252.jpg11392560Ernest Geigenmillerhttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pngErnest Geigenmiller2024-05-15 09:46:432024-05-15 09:46:50Glusenkamp Perez Leads Bipartisan Effort to Fund Food, Nutrition Ed Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) released the below statement regarding her votes to pass supplemental appropriations for Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel’s defense and in support of security at our Southern Border:
“Across the globe, our allies and partners are facing increasing threats to freedom and democracy – and action is long-overdue. Today, I voted to rearm Ukraine against Putin’s Russia, help Israel defend itself, strengthen security in the Indo-Pacific, and get humanitarian relief to innocent civilians in Gaza and Ukraine.
I came to Congress to work across the aisle, get stuff done, and serve as an independent voice for Southwest Washington. For months, I’ve called on my colleagues to stop using these crises as a political football – and I’m glad Congress could reach a bipartisan solution today modeled off the bipartisan Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act I’ve worked on for months.
It’s the eleventh hour for Ukraine, and helping them fight Putin’s bloodthirsty aggression isn’t only important for global democracy and sovereignty – but it also helps prevent escalation into a costly regional conflict involving more of our allies. It’s clear Putin won’t stop at Ukraine, and it’s in our own national security interest to stop a terrible precedent of predation by the aggressive, expansionist Russian military state.
This legislation will get American-made ammo to Ukraine’s front lines, while supporting our service members abroad, replenishing our nation’s weapons stockpiles, and strengthening oversight of this assistance.
We’re also facing a worsening situation at our Southern Border, and I’m committed to securing our border and halting the deadly flow of fentanyl into our communities.
President Biden has failed to end the crisis at our Southern Border, so I voted to do what he refuses to do: secure our border and stop the violent drug cartels pumping fentanyl into our country.
Every country has an obligation to protect its citizens and secure its sovereign borders, and H.R. 3602 focuses on the urgent need to restore operational control of the Southern Border. Unlike the unworkable and un-American immigration proposals pushed by far-right extremists, this bipartisan bill doesn’t create burdensome government mandates that would harm small businesses, agricultural employers, rural communities, and our economy.
I also voted last month in support of Department of Homeland Security funding to deploy the largest Border Patrol workforce in our country’s history. I’ll continue working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to fight the fentanyl crisis and work toward a border security solution that delivers for Southwest Washington.”
Camas City Council member Leslie Lewallen, a Republican, is running for the United States Congress. She’s campaigning to give the public an alternative to Joe Kent, who lost his 2022 race against Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, now serving her first term representing Washington’s 3rd Congressional District.
Lewallen, a mother of four, former King County prosecutor, and a business entrepreneur, has created a campaign that focuses on these issues:
Economy
Crime
Homelessness
Mental health and drug addiction
Dams and salmon
A third Columbia River bridge crossing
Sustainable Forest and Watershed Management
“During COVID, I watched the people that I love and the values in our country fall apart,” said Lewallen. “I’ve been in politics before and thought enough is enough and that’s when I decided to run for Camas City Council. I knocked on 5,000 doors. I earned the opportunity to serve on the City Council and got a front row seat to all the problems in Camas and the region. I have a seat on the Regional Transportation Council (RTC) , which is a voting board position with members of the Clark County Council, Vancouver City Council, and others who prioritize federal and state grant transportation dollars.”
The politics of the I-5 replacement bridge opened her eyes, as well.
“We have repeatedly voted down light rail, but bureaucrats keep pushing it,” she said. “They keep trying to push it even though voters don’t want it. They don’t listen. Ninety-nine percent of all public transportation has traces of meth and fentanyl. Why are all these bureaucrats wanting to spend money on light rail that’s dangerous and unhealthy? It’s dangerous for all of us, especially our children.”
It’s not just public safety that concerns Lewallen about the I-5 proposal, it’s also the taxpayer dollars she says are at risk.
“Beyond the public safety risks presented, light-rail makes no economic sense for Southwest Washingtonians,” Lewallen said. “The potential $2 billion light rail proposal is an expensive taxpayer solution looking for a non-existent public problem. C-TRAN ridership has decreased steadily for consecutive years and won’t improve as remote working gains a stronger foothold in our labor market. I’m on the RTC and key Camas City subcommittees to advocate for Camasonians and all citizens in Southwest Washington who don’t feel like they have an effective voice in the future of our city, the region or the state. My purpose in being an elected official is to speak for the people I represent by bringing a common-sense, practical and pragmatic perspective to the policy discussions impacting our communities. Southwest Washington deserves better, and I am working hard every day to deliver meaningful results for our citizens.”
Leslie meeting with voters.
Lewallen is concerned about local GOP party politics because a select few are deciding who should be the nominee instead of letting the voters decide. This is a major contributing factor to Republicans losing the seat in 2022, she said.
Kent defeated 12-year incumbent Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler in the 2022 primary. However, Kent’s views turned off many voters in Southwest Washington and he lost to Perez in the 2022 general election. Exit poll results show that the 3rd Congressional District remains a Republican district. Donald Trump won it by four points in 2020 and Tiffany Smiley won it by seven in 2022.
Fueled by the fact that former Washington state Senatorial candidate Tiffany Smiley, who has endorsed Leslie in her race, won this district in 2022, Lewallen makes calls every day for six hours to bolster her campaign.
“I can’t tell you how many people who say ‘thank God there’s an alternative.’” And then some say, ‘I voted for Marie, but I like what
I am hearing, and then we have a longer, productive conversation.’ Perez has been designated by Roll Call as the most vulnerable member of Congress. I made the shift from Council to Congress by watching this last race. We need a pragmatic problem solver who is a lifetime Washingtonian and can relate to voters in Southwest Washington. .We win by addition, not subtraction. We need all Republicans, Independents and Democrats to win this race. I truly believe we all have more in common with one another than we disagree on.”
“Will this be easy? No. Nothing worth fighting for is ever easily gained. But, I see an opportunity, and am working hard every day to earn it. I looked at all the numbers and what they would look like with me in the race. I don’t get into anything unless I see a clear path for victory. I went through a thorough budget planning process with my team to get a very good understanding of what I need to do to win. It’s going to be an uphill battle.”
Despite the odds, Lewallen isn’t overly concerned and says it makes this race more challenging.
“I believe democracy depends on choices,” said Lewallen. “Our Founding Fathers created a system of government where the entire electorate chooses its representatives, rather than having representatives chosen for them by a select few.”
Lewallen has a positive outlook for her hard road ahead. And, past Washington State election results give her good reason to be optimistic in reaching the general election.
“History oftentimes is unapologetically truthful, and history suggests Joe Kent can’t win in 2024. In the past 30 years, there hasn’t been one statewide re-match in Washington that has resulted in a flipped outcome. I knew this race would be challenging. It’s the number one watched Congressional race in the nation. This race could determine whether we keep the majority in the House of Representatives. Joe Kent is part of the reason why we have this razor thin majority.”
So, why not wait until 2026?
“If Marie gets another term under her belt, we could lose this seat forever. It’s essential to have alternative voices to bring balance to the state. I don’t want to leave our country in the state that it’s in for my kids and future grandchildren. If I didn’t think it was necessary to run right now, I wouldn’t have gotten in. Sometimes in life God comes knocking and I have to answer that door.”
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/03120556/Leslie1-e1701634043220.jpg10061536Ernest Geigenmillerhttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pngErnest Geigenmiller2023-12-04 08:08:572023-12-04 08:09:07Camas City Council Member Lewallen Running For US Congress
VANCOUVER, WA – Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-3rd District) issued the following statement today after finishing outside of the top two in Washington’s primary election:
“Thank you, Southwest Washington, for entrusting me six times with the privilege of representing you in Congress. Ever since I was first elected to this seat I have done my very best to serve my home region and our country. Though my campaign came up short this time, I’m proud of all we’ve accomplished together for the place where I was raised and still call home.
“Many are things I set out to do: help folks who want to earn a living find good jobs right here, keep our rivers healthy and fishable for years to come, make our health system work better for those who really need care, allow the people here to manage and enjoy their land, and be a voice for those who have slipped between the cracks of government bureaucracy. When I took office, I said we could improve how health care works for Southwest Washington residents. I’m incredibly proud of getting the ACE Kids Act signed into law that helps more low-income kids get life-saving specialty medical care in this country, as well as legislation to tackle the maternal mortality crisis plaguing moms in America. And I’ll always enjoy my conversations in the grocery store with folks who want to chat about the landmark salmon preservation law I fought so hard for.
“Some were pleasant surprises, like growing my family by three wonderful children and in doing so, providing an example for other women that you can serve your country in elected office while raising a young family.
“And some were unexpected and difficult. But I’m proud that I always told the truth, stuck to my principles, and did what I knew to be best for our country.
“I’m incredibly grateful to you for this opportunity, and to my husband Dan for being a rock to me and our family through it all. Serving you in the United States Congress these past twelve years has been the honor of my lifetime.”
Herrera Beutler will complete her term in Congress, which will end on January 3, 2023.
Her concession now opens the door for a two-way race between two political newcomers: Joe Kent, a Republican, and Marie Perez, a Democrat.
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